1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a writing apparatus for a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, and more particularly to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device with an extended lifetime because of prevention of excessive writing.
2. Background of the Invention
In recent years, flash memories have come into widespread use as electrically re-writable non-volatile semiconductor memory devices. An example of a flash memory of the past is noted in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 07-36787, the flash memory disclosed in that publication being shown in FIG. 9.
The flash memory device shown in FIG. 9 has a plurality of flash memories, wherein verification is performed when performing a write operation and, if a write operation fails, only the memory that had the failed write operation is written again.
In the above-noted flash memory device, however, when a write operation fails, because data is written into the entirety of one flash memory, there is the problem of excessive writing, this leading to a shortening of the life of the flash memory.